Revolving light



May 7, 1929. FYERREBY 1,711,932

REVOLVING LIGHT 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 20, 1927,.

May 7, 1929. R. B. FERREBY REVOLVING LIGHT I Filed June 20, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 17 H 33 I g? 14 I .19 21 22 26 7 5a 11 1a 4 z 42 4444 1y ofthe antifriction bearing, the light be- Patented May 7, 1929.

- UNITED STATES I p 131L932 -P'AT uT- OFFICE.

ROLLA n. FERREIBY, orgnos ,AINGELES, CALIFORNIA.

REVOLVING fI'iIGrI-Pl.

Application filed June 20,

by the wind, these lenses'or reflectors having a-source of light centrally positioned rela-' tive to same, so that thelight flashes periodically and in accordance with the rate oi rotation of the lenses or reflectors. If lenses are utilized, it is preferable to have these of dilferent colors to show distinct flashes; and it reflectors are utilized, these give distinct flashes. in accordance with the angularit y of the reflection of the light rays from the source of light and .the observer- Another object of myinvention is the constructionof a rotary device operated. by wind powerwhich maybe utilized fora number of dilferent purposes, suchvas an anemometer, or a light source of-wind power, and in which three vanes or cups are utilized placed in a triangularrelation'to,eachother, so thatthe wind, in blowing-into a cup which is more or'less faced to the wind, circulates =therethrough andis transmitted intothe interior of one of the'other cups, thereby giving a rotational force greater than ,if the cups or vanes-are mounted in a directly re- .versevposition so that one cup is faced to the wind while the opposite cuphas its back. i to thewind. I

' Another object of my invention is mounting the lenses, reflectors or vanes on asuspended antifriction bearing. structure with a bottom or base guiding bearing sothat the frictional'resistance of rotation of the structure is reduced. As a furtherdetail, my invention comprises mounting an electric lamp centrally positioned and depending internaling held stationary in regard to the revolving lenses or reflectors. 3 r

An immediate use of my invention is in a revolving or flashing light which may be placed on an automobile andTeceive; the flow of wind developed by the travel of the vehicle, thus causing rotation ozfthe lenses or reflectors, and giving the flashes of light above mentioned;

One type or manner inventionis illustrated in the drawings, in which: a I

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the revolvof constructing .my accompany ng 'ofthe arrows.

1927. Serial 499,998.

ing light, taken in the direction of the arr'ow l; of Fig. 2. I, y Figure 2 is a plan taken in' the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig.1. I 1 Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2, in the direction 7 Figure 4: is a horizontal section on the line of Figure 3, in the direction of the arrows. 1

- The mounted'or stationary structure of my revolving light is substantially asfollows:

{In this case'I illustrate as a support, a bracket 11, which is indicated as formed of a strap or bar f metal. Thisihas an upwardly pressed cup 12'and an opening with a downwardly extendingflange 13'at the top and bottomarms 14c and 15 respectively. A

.nut 15 fits in the cup 12and has a sleeve 16 threaded therein. Thissleeve is engaged by a lock-nut 17 on the upper side of the arm 12, there being a washer or gasket18 below this nut. AL cap19 formed cup-shaped is positioned below the nut 15 and is retained .in place by a nut .QQthreaded on the sleeve 16. ball retaining cup 21 has itsupper part engaged between the nut and the inher race 22 of aball bearing23. The outer race "240i the ball bearing hasa ring 25 con 'nectedthereto, this ring being preferably .formed integral with-a cover casing 26 for holding the lenses or reflectors in position, as hereunder set forth. v j

The sleeve 16, has an enlarged flange 27 atits lower. end from which depends atubular, socket 28, in which an electric lamp bulb 29.may beconnected by a bayonet type or other joint. One side of the lamp forms a ground with this socket.v An insulating plate 30rpressed downwardly by a spring 31 presses the cont-act 32 against the center terminalof the lamp, the electric lead'33, @with its insulation, passingthrough the sleeve 16. This structure holds the lamp stationary relative to the supporting strucv The supporting frame for-the lenses or reflectors is, substantially as follows:

,. The cover casing 26 is downwardlydished" and has a series of diagonal grooves 34 .formed therein pressed up from underneath. Three bolts 35 dependfrom the cover casing 26, forming an equilateral triangle in their spacing, andthese bolts extend throughv and support a base plate 36. This plate has disecured by a nut 45 agofnal downwardly pressed grooves 37 corresponding to the grooves 34L. The central section 38 of the plate 36 has a sleeve 39 depending therefrom, and in this sleeve there is a bushing -10. A centering stud 41 is secured by a ring 42 in the flange 13 of the lower arm of the supporting bracket 11. The lower stem section i4: is threaded and with washers 456, thus forming a centering lower bearing for the revolving structure.

Thc lenses or reflectors t7 are three in number and'each has a rim 48, the rim fitting in the upper grooves 341 and the lower grooves 37, so thatwhen the bolts are drawn tight, these lenses or reflectors are held in solid relation to the top and bottom plates of the revolving structure; The rims of each of the lenses or reflectors are 'each in a plane, as indicated by the numeral L9, and are preferably domed (see Fig. 1'). will be noted that the space between the planes49, formed by the rims 18, forms substantially an equilateral triangle in which the lamp 29 is centrally positioned, and that one side of the rim of each of the lenses or reflectors is substantially in the line-of the plane 49 of an adjacent reflector, these side edges being positioned close to the bolts 35.

The manner of functioning and operation of my revolving "light substantially as followb:

Referring to 4, the direction of movement of the wind relative to the device is indicated by the arrow 51. This wind venters theopen side of one of the lenses or reflectors facing towards the front, as indi cated the arrow 52, and circulates through this lens orreflector, following the direction of the arrow 53. Part of the wind in leaving this lens or reflector passes to the rearwardmost lens, and fol-lows in the dimotion of the arrow 54, having a clearance in, the direction of the'arrow 56, out of the revolving structure. -I 't-will beseen by-this direction of the 'flow of the wind that there -is-a resultant force on the inside of these two domed structures tending to rotate the lenses or reflectors and their supporting structure in the direction of the arrow 57,

.this being in a clock-wise direction, having reference to Figs. 2 and 4. Some of the air currents, instead of following the direction cf the arrows 53 and 541-, are deflected'in. the path indicated by the arrows 58 and '59,

following inside'the lens or reflector which has its domed side towards the flow of the wind 51. This secondary air circulation has a free flow, as indicated by the arrow 60, out of such lens or reflector. This current of air, designated by the arrow 59, has a :component force thrusting on the inside of the domedlens or reflector which has its rearward side to the direction of the wind, and to a great extent counteracts the direct It is manifest that as the device rotates that the relative direction and flow of the air through the curved or domed structures changes from. that above described, but'the general effect is, for the major portion of the time, in each rotation that there is a decided predominance of the component pressureon the inward side of each of the domed lenses or reflectors over that onthe outside, tending to restrain the rotation of the device. This construction, therefore, utilizes the force of the air to rotate the domed or cupped structures with greater effect than in the ordinary aneraometer when two orfour cups are placed th'e ends of arms and each pair of cups in reverse direction. It is. manifest that'if my device is utilized as a rotary source of powerfor actuating an instrument or some mechanism, that the lamp and its socket may be olin1inated, and thereby give a freer flow of air from one of the domes or cups to the other.

Where lenses are utilized, these maybe of different colors so that a flashing light 7 of dii'l'erent colors will be exhibited toan observer, If whole reflectors are used the observer does not receive the direct rays of light from the lamp, but'tlie reflected light from the various'refiectors in the rotation of the device. Atslow speeds, this will give an intermittent light, and possibly at high speeds the effect will be a rapid flicker. It is obvious that if'desired the lenses may be made in part of colored glass and pa -r reflecting surface, thus allowing partial transmission of the direct rays of lightfiand also the reflected light SOVEISQtO givethe flashes a longer duration. Many combinations of colors and: arrangements of reflectors will be apparent as coming within the scope of my invention.

Various changes may be made in the principles of myinvention without departing from the spirit thereof, as set forth in the description, drawings and claims. I claim:

1. In the art described, the combination of upper and "lowenplates secured together,

three cupped structures having rims, the

rims being secured to the upper and lower -plates, with one part of the rim of each cup GXtGIldlDP towards the open side'of another cup, means to -mount sai'd'pl'ates to allow rotation of the plates and the cupped struck tures of the unit by wind power.

2. In the art described, the combination of upper and lower plates having diagonal grooves, three boltssecuring said plates tocupped structures overlap and one side of the rim of each structure extendstowards -the. open part of the cup of the adjacent structure, and means to mount the plates to allow free rotation.

3. A revolvmg light comprising in combination a source of light, three domeshaped structures positioned surrounding said light, the rim of each structure extending towards the inside of the dome of an adjacent structure, and means to mount said dome-shaped structures to rotate freely around the light by wind power.

4. A revolving light comprising incombination a supporting frame, a lamp socket 7 depending therefrom adapted tov receive a lamp, a top plate rotatably mounted in relation to the lamp socket, a bottom bearing,

a bottom plate rotatably mounted in relation to said bottom bearing, means connecting said plates together, three cupshaped structures connected to said plates,

said structures being arranged whereby the edge of one extends towards the inside of the cup of an adjacent structure, the said plates and the cupped structures rotating around the lamp socket by wind power.

5. A revolving light comprising in combination a frame, a sleeve depending therefrom, an antifriction bearing connected to the sleeve, a lamp socket depending from name to this specification.

ROLLA B. FERREBY the sleeve, atop plate connected to part of said bearing, a centering stud connected to v the lower part of the frame, a lower plate rotatable on said stud, means securing said plates together, and three cupped structures connected to said plates, said structures be -ing arranged with one side of each extending towardsthe'inside of the cup of an adj acent structure. V

6. A revolvinglight comprising in combination a supporting frame, a sleeve depending from the upper part of the frame having an antifriction bearing mounted thereon and a lamp socket depending from the sleeve, a top plate secured to a revolving part of the said bearing, said plate having grooves, a centering plug secured to the lower part of the frame and having a lower plate with grooves, three bolts connecting said plates, arranged to form an equilateral triangle surrounding the lamp socket, three 

